HIV/AIDS Research Network Recommends Use of Abbott RealTime Viral Load Test for NIH-Sponsored Clini...( ABBOTT PARK Ill. This recomm...),Health

ABBOTT PARK, Ill., May 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The Abbott RealTime HIV-1 Assay and Abbott m2000 System have been recommended as a standard protocol for viral load testing in HIV/AIDS clinical trials sponsored by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

This recommendation was made by the Cross-Network Laboratory Focus Group (LFG), which consists of representatives from five of the NIH-sponsored HIV/AIDS clinical trials networks. The LFG recently issued a consensus statement, which was reviewed and approved by the leadership of the five networks, recommending the use of the Abbott RealTime HIV-1 assay and m2000 system for upcoming clinical trials in 2009 and beyond that have a primary focus on viral load measurements. The recommendation applies to testing performed at adult and pediatric therapeutic HIV/AIDS clinical trial sites both in the United States and internationally, as well as the centralized network laboratories in the United States.

Viral load testing is a monitoring tool used to determine the amount of virus in the blood and the efficacy of anti-HIV therapy. The growing prevalence of HIV-1 subtype variant and circulating recombinant strains has made accurate viral load detection more complex and has prompted increasing numbers of clinical laboratories to adopt the Abbott RealTime HIV-1 Assay on the m2000 System. The system is one of the fastest and most sensitive viral load tests available, with the ability to detect and precisely measure group M, N and O strains of HIV-1, as well as all known non-B subtypes.

"We're pleased that the LFG has recommended the Abbott RealTime HIV viral load assay to be the standard testing system for NIH-sponsored HIV/AIDS clinical trial networks," said Stafford O'Kelly, head of Abbott's molecular diagnostics business. "We look forward to supporting the NIH-sp
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